How to Make Menopause Interstitial Cystitis Symptoms Go Away

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is an uncomfortable, often painful, condition of the female urinary tract. IC can affect women of any age but tends to be most prevalent during perimenopause and menopause. According to Dr. Denise Howard, the specific cause of this condition is unknown, but the result is the destruction of the bladder lining, leading to pain, frequent urination and problems urinating. Treatment of IC can be difficult, but you can take steps to improve and even eliminate the symptoms.

Instructions

• 1

  Modify your diet. Eliminate coffee, tea, soda, fruit juices, fruit and all acidic foods. Avoid spices and foods that may irritate the gastric system such as nuts, chocolate and cheese. Anything that may be hard to digest in the upper GI may be irritating. Include foods high in potassium, such as bananas and potatoes.

• 2

  Drink at least six 8 oz. glasses of water a day. If one of your symptoms is frequent urination, extra water helps to cleanse the system.

• 3

  Take a good daily multivitamin and additional calcium and magnesium. Try cornus, rhubarb, and pumpkin seed extract which were all shown, in a study by K. E. Whitmore, to have positive effects on bladder health.

• 4

  Do yoga. Either teach yourself with the help of an instruction guide or, if convenient, join a class. Pay special attention to those exercises that stretch and strengthen the abdominal and pelvic muscles and those that target vaginal and rectal muscles.

• 5

  Learn relaxation techniques. Pain tends to be cyclical: tension increases pain and increased pain raises tension. Learn to stop the cycle with good relaxation techniques that employ visualization and deep breathing.

• 6

  Learn acupressure points and how to manipulate them to obtain relief. An acupressure therapist can teach you specific techniques, or you can learn on your own by following readily available instruction guides.